The Lord of the Rings Online's 'Against the Shadow' Update Revealed

Warner Bros. has officially announced the next update for their MMO 'The Lord of the Rings Online'. The update titled 'Against the Shadow' marks the ninth major update for the MMO, which is based off the widely successful Lord of the Rings trilogy written by the late J.R.R. Tolkien.

Against the Shadow will feature three brand new three-man instances:

Webs of the Scuttledells: Many years have passed since the hobbit Bilbo Baggins passed through Mirkwood and the forests' spiders first felt the bite of Sting. Recently, elven scouts have begun to go missing and Gandalf asks for brave adventurers to investigate these grim tidings. Take care as you tread into the forest for one can never be sure what lurks beneath the dark boughs.

Seat of the Great Goblin: Descend beneath the Misty Mountains to the heart of Goblin-town where reports indicate that a new leader may be rising to power. In the years since the death of the Great Goblin, the goblins have been disorganized and consumed by infighting but a new leader would make them a threat once again. Seek out this leader and slay him before the goblins can strike at the Free Peoples!

Iorbar's Peak: Answer a call for aid from the Great Eagles who have been robbed of a precious egg by the stone giants of the Misty Mountains. Time is of the essence, for the delicate egg must be recovered before it becomes the main course for a hungry giant. Gather your two strongest allies for the stone giants are as dangerous and unpredictable as the frigid mountains they dwell in.

The Lord of the Rings Online's newest update will also see the return of the fan-favorite 'Dungeons of Dol Gurdur' instance has been revamped. Now, 'all five instances will scale up to level 85 and offer tier 2 challenges for the most fearless adventurers. In addition, the Dungeons of Dol Guldur instance has been re-tuned for a full fellowship.'

In update seven, The Lord of the Rings Online experienced the beginning of a major renovation for the Mines of Moria. That project has now been completed, allowing players to delve into four new underground areas. On top of all this, the Redhorn Lodes, Zelem-Melek, Nud-Melek and the Flaming Deeps have all been given much needed visual upgrades.

No release date has been given for Against the Shadow just yet, but fans can expect it sometime before the end of the year.